Draftee Xavier O’Halloran will take the number of his 1954 Premiership winning grandfather as the jumper numbers of eight new players are revealed for 2019.
The GIANTS’ pick 22 at the recent NAB AFL Draft, the midfielder will honour his grandfather Ron McCarthy by wearing the number 33 jumper on his back as he begins his own football career with the GIANTS.
McCarthy played 42 games for Footscray in the then-VFL from 1953-1956, including the club’s 1954 Premiership triumph, which was the only flag for Footscray/Western Bulldogs until the 2016 drought-breaking victory.
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McCarthy passed away in 1989 but O’Halloran has chosen to honour his grandfather’s career across his own, wearing the number 33 for the Western Jets in the TAC Cup and now continuing the tradition at the GIANTS.
The GIANTS’ first pick at last week’s draft, Jye Caldwell, will wear number five on his back after it became vacant for the first time in the club’s history with foundation player Dylan Shiel moving to Essendon.
The 18-year-old from the Bendigo Pioneers plays in a similar mould to the former GIANT. Powerful, explosive and damaging, number 11 pick Caldwell is an excitement machine around stoppages.
South Australian draftee and number 14 pick Jackson Hately will wear number nine, which was his favourite number as a child and one he wore playing local football.
The jumper has become available after Tom Scully moved to Hawthorn during the off-season.
Delisted free agent Tommy Sheridan, who crossed from Fremantle following the end of the 2018 season, will take the number 11 jumper which is the same number he wore during his seven-year career at the Dockers.
Western Sydney GIANTS Academy graduate Kieren Briggs wore 44 on his back while playing NEAFL for the GIANTS in 2018 but has chosen 32 to officially begin his career at the club.
While he hasn’t had a connection to the number in the past, the hulking ruckman chose the number due to a superstition that sees him prefer even numbers.
Indigenous small forward Ian “Bobby” Hill will take the number 37 jumper vacated by fellow West Australian Rory Lobb. The number 37 has become famous in AFL circles, particularly in Sydney, with Swans and Indigenous legend Adam Goodes donning the same number.
Tall prospect Connor Idun will get to keep the same number he wore for the Geelong Falcons in the TAC Cup and representing Vic Country, taking over the 39 jumper that formerly belonged to Tim Mohr.
Irish recruit Callum Brown rounds out the new numbers after selecting 46 to wear as he makes the cross from Gaelic football to the AFL.
2019 Playing Numbers
1 - Phil Davis
2 - Jacob Hopper
3 - Stephen Coniglio
4 - Toby Greene
5 - Jye Caldwell
6 - Lachie Whitfield
7 - Brett Deledio
8 - Callan Ward
9 - Jackson Hately
10 - Aiden Bonar
11 - Tommy Sheridan
12 - Jonny Patton
13 - Isaac Cumming
14 - Tim Taranto
15 - Sam Taylor
16 - Brent Daniels
17 - Zac Langdon
18 - Jeremy Cameron
19 - Nick Haynes
20 - Adam Tomlinson
21 - Matt Buntine
22 - Josh Kelly
23 - Heath Shaw
24 - Matt de Boer
25 - Lachie Keeffe
26 - Dawson Simpson
27 - Harry Himmelberg
28 - Zach Sproule
29 - Zac Williams
30 - Matt Flynn
31 - Jeremy Finlayson
32 - Kieren Briggs
33 - Xavier O’Halloran
34 - Nick Shipley
35 - Aidan Corr
36 - Harry Perryman
37 - Ian "Bobby" Hill
38 - Daniel Lloyd
39 - Connor Idun
40 - Adam Kennedy
42 - Jake Stein
43 - Dylan Buckley
44 - Jack Buckley
46 - Callum Brown
50 - Sam Reid
